Tuesday, November 25, 2014

First Published in DelawareLiberal on November 25, 2014 by ProgressivePopulist

A couple of commentaries appeared in the media this week from two
divergent factions in the party, both in agreement. Governor Terry
McAuliffe and Howard Dean both went public with rather extensive
statements that the DNC needs rebuilding. We must have messaging on our
accomplishments and what we stand for.

McAuliffe spoke quite
critically of the failure of our National Party to address the
challenges of our struggling middle class and the need for major
economic reforms. This from a guy who I always viewed as a brilliant
fund raiser but shallow thinker. He did leave our party in great
financial shape. Maybe I was wrong about the shallowness.

I think
he really understands the failed leadership of our Party here in a time
of our most desperate need for economic reform. He also spoke of our
President's brilliant record on so many fronts which were ignored by the
DNC's non-existent messaging program.

Adding insult to injury,
the clueless but very well insured Democratic leader Chuck Schumer came
this week with absurd commentary that it was a huge mistake for
Congressional Democrats to undertake healthcare reform in Obama's first
term. In a clearly uncoordinated messaging effort of his own without
collaboration with the White House or DNC, he said we should have
focused on the economy and not done the Affordable Care Act. Is our
Federal Government a one trick pony, incapable of multi-tasking?

I
thought all along we were doing both. And I also thought and still
think healthcare, or the cost of it is a major drag on the national and
well as household economies.

Howard Dean was interviewed
extensively this week on his successful 50 state strategy during his
tenure as DNC Chair. He was quite blunt as usual on the strategic
failure of the DNC during this most recent election cycle. And he too
pointed out the complete silence of any messaging strategy on our
accomplishments and solutions for the future of our people.

Debbie
W.S., are you hearing this? DNC members, are you going to secure for
us here in the trenches new leadership ? And I hope an updated,
technology supported redux of the Dean era? Are you going to bring him
in as a consultant to your replacement for Debbie W.S. and fire the
useless consultants who gave us so little in 2014?

Delaware DNC
members Bob Gilligan and Karen Valentine, what exactly are you doing to
get this party up and running again in preparation for 2016? This
includes the local party which is so desperately in need of energy.
What say you? Would love to hear from you on this blog.

Friday, November 21, 2014

First Published in DelawareLiberal on November 21, 2014 by ProgressivePopulist

Welcome. Come out of the shadows now, thanks to a courageous
President Obama. I'm sorry this has taken so long but there are a few
nativists here who have made the process of legalizing your residency
difficult. Let's forgive and ignore them.

U.S. and Mexican people
have long been closely connected. Were it not for events of the fairly
recent past, my 45 years in Texas might have actually been in Mexico.
Those years gave me a huge respect and love for Mexican and Mexican
American people and culture.

I was quite surprised on moving to
Delaware to see quite a few Mexican restaurants and a visit to the Hwy.
13 Farmers Market made me feel like I was back in Texas. And really
good Mexican restaurants down Hwy. 1. These are happy surprises. But I
digress.

But there's much more to Mexican and Mexican American
culture that I find most appealing and fascinating. Having had the
opportunity to travel all over Mexico I can see how pervasive in a
good way these cultural influences are to my Tejano friends. Many have
generations behind them in Tejas and the southwest, but you see visually
the beauty in art, architecture, music and cultural traditions that
connect them to the people in Mexico.

I had the opportunity in my
early years in Texas to travel with M.A. friends to the border towns,
visit with their families there and observe how freely they communed
with family in Mexico, though with much greater difficulty today due to
the so called border security. This is sad. I really wish we could
have an open border.

Our histories are intertwined and it makes
American life so much more interesting. These histories engaged me so
that I had the good fortune and good times visiting many Aztec and many
more Mayan ruins throughout that region. Amazing technology and
engineering, science, lore and legend represented at those sites.
Looking closely, you see that these early people rivaled the European
civilization many of my ancestors brought here. Anglo's have little
justification to feel cultural superiority.

I have such respect
for M.A. people's struggle to maintain their dignity so often under
attack by nativist north Americans. I have wonderful memories of
standing with my Chicano friends in their struggle in Texas for a
political voice and representation. And their struggle to have their
culture not disrespected in the Texas educational system. We still
have a long way to go.

But I urge my fellow Anglo Americans to
immerse in the art of this culture; you'll be awed by the Diego Rivera
murals. Page through books of both historic and futuristic Mexican
architecture. Ceramics? There's none more interesting. These reflect a
vivid appreciation of color as a celebration of life, even a life of
struggle.

Music? Much of it so joyful, sung and played by a
people with so many struggles. It seems contradictory but seems to fuel
hope. Yes, there are even graduate studies in Tejano music and travel
around Texas and you'll hear it on many radio stations. Its flavors
have moved me to hear and play Carlos Santana's incredible music
whenever possible as family members will attest.

Food? I don't
need to go there. An aging stomach can't tolerate chilies like it used
to but when you think of chocolate, for example, it really started way
down there. Try a mole' sometime. An experience in extacy.

Film?
You've not lived if you've not seen Cantiflas, a great Mexican film
actor. I know all of you have appreciated the work of Anthony Quinn.
Doesn't sound very Mexican but he was.
Family values espoused by
so many here? Theirs are unparalleled. Hard work, another American
value. These amazing people define the very word.

My biggest
regret with the Obama executive order touching maybe 5 million of us is
that many left a political society in Mexico which marginalized those
with native features and blood and idealized those with Spanish and
European physical characteristics; the latter gave them political
leadership and favor in media and advertising. Look closely, you'll see
it.

Worst of all, the society many immigrants left in Mexico is
highly polarized between long standing wealth and material control and
those without. And there are many, many more without wealth and power
than those in possession of both. Sounds familiar doesn't it? Many
coming here didn't get that memo on the state of economic affairs in the
U.S.A. I hope they are not disappointed.

Actually, I hope many
are disappointed and join the grassroots movement to re-balance the
economic disparity in America. Their earlier generations were not so
successful in doing so in Mexico, but maybe, just maybe, we can reverse
it here. My M.A. friends are working very hard at it.

Welcome home. You can make a home here now and please, keep sharing your culture and values with us all. Gracias.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

This was the branding campaign, expressed as this theme,
developed for the Harris County Democratic Party in early 2011, following the
2010 mid-term blowout we experienced in Houston and the state of Texas.

It was created as an outgrowth of planning and idea
exchange that took place with Democracy For Houston, a very active progressive
group closely tied to the County Party.From there, with the approval of Gerry Birnberg, a County Party
messaging committee was created involving about 25 party activists to undertake
the first known market research project ever undertaken by the Party.Messaging Chair Stan Merriman collaborated
with a former marketing colleague, Bill Penscak, himself a dedicated Democrat.

Stan initially led about 45 Democrats active with the
party through a process of prioritizing issues this group felt best reflected
the values and beliefs of local Democrats, expressed during a post mortem
meeting following the blowout Republican sweep of 2010.He then turned over the messaging committee’s
report on values and belief to Penscak, a professional marketer and focus group
expert.

With the help of localHarris County Democratic clubs, Penscak conducted a series of very
intense, in depth focus groups with club members, reflecting the demographic
diversity of Harris County.His work was
very time intensive and pro-bono.

The overall conclusion of the focus groups was that
economic populist issues best expressed the value system and beliefs of local
Democrats and a number of branding/positioning statements expressing these were
recommended.

Merriman followed up with interviews, on line and in
person with approximately 100 additional local Democrats to refine the results,
using branding/theme statements developed by colleague Steve Barnhill and his
advertising agency.In all about 300
local Democrats participated in these various interviews and focus groups.

Merriman took these findings and developed this branding
statement which he asked Chair Birnberg to critique.He not only critiqued, he word crafted
further with Merriman to result in:

Making Better Lives For All.

Not Just the
Privileged Few.

A comprehensive communications and messaging plan was presented to the
elected precinct chairs of the party and the campaigns first phase, internal
party introduction was launched via club presentations, web site, presentations
to candidates and Dem office holders, introductory web videos and Facebook
postings in 2011.The campaign was
presented and transitioned to the new, incoming County Party Chair and Merriman
retired from his post with the Messaging Committee.

Since our move to Delaware I’d lost track of messaging and the like at
the Harris County Democratic Party, but a couple of days ago I was struck by an
article in my most recent issue of In These Times.

Lo and Behold, the senior editor reported on research and a study done
of the respected Hart Research Associates. They describe this research as having been done in 2014.
They are major advisors to the DNC and Democratic candidates, conducting
both polling and focus groups.The In
These Times editorial in November cited this research pointed out that “Democrats were
beaten because their leaders failed to speak to the economic concerns of
economically traumatized Americans”.

This editorial further cited Hart’s finding that Democrats who supported
creating an economy “ that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few” by 22
points.

Wow.Sound familiar doesn’t
it?I did further looking into the Hart
research and found this on the web.

Here are some excerpts I found.

Hart Research Associates

“Voters respond most favorably when Democrats deliver a populist
economic message centered on the idea of building an economy that works for all
of us, not just the wealthy and big corporations.

Today, Americans believe that the single most important goal for the
nation’s economic future is to create an economy that works for everyone, not
just the wealthy few.”

Here is more:

“While voters also rate many other economic goals as priorities no other
formulation resonates

nearly as strongly. And no other critique better captures Americans’
economic anxiety than the idea that our economic system now benefits only the
wealthy and corporations, while the deck is stacked against

everyone else. Fully 59% of voters say making the economy work for
everyone, not just the wealthy few, is an extremely important goal.”

And their findings revealed:

“The following candidate message proved very appealing to 63% of swing
voters,

and is a strong formulation of a populist Democratic economic message:”

The promise of America should be
for everyone, not just the wealthy few.

Hart further postulated:

“Most compelling goal:

An economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few”

The leading comparative statement of a series presented with 47% of
respondents preferring:

“Which one of these phrases describe the most important goal for
America.”

An economy that works for
everyone, not just the wealthy few

Hart probed further exploring deleting the very aggressive reference to
the wealthy.This reminded me of a very
tense exchange I had with Hon. Vince Ryan in a presentation to candidates,
where I was defending our choice of words.

“Could Democrats enjoy even more success by employing a message that
promised“an economy that works for
all,” butomitting the sharper-edged
populism of talking about the wealthy? The data shows that this would actually
weaken Democrats’ appeal. In a choice between a Republican who will “grow the
economy” and a Democrat who will “make the economy work for all of us, not just
the wealthy,”

swing voters prefer the Democrat by a 22 point margin (61% to 39%). The
other half of our respondents heard the same partisan choice except that the
words “not just the wealthy” were deleted.

This Democrat actually lost to the Republican by 10 points, a net loss
of 32 points

In a contest for voter allegiance, four little words—“not just the
wealthy”—made all the difference. Instead of broadening the Democrat’s appeal,
filing off the populist edge turned out to undermine support for this
candidate. Significantly, it is with more conservative voters that a populist
message provides the greatest advantage. By adding “not just the wealthy,”
Democrats improve by 42 points with men (just 18 points with women), by 44
points among voters over 50 (just 19 points underage 50) by 39 points with
swing voters planning to vote Republican.

Apopulist framework also proves to be the most advantageous way to
contrast the difference between the two parties.”

Our work, again, was done in 2011 in Harris County. Hart's with polls and focus groups done in 2014, three years later. Were we ahead of our time in Houston? We'll never know, but to firmly establish this branding positioning, I told the party it would take about 3 years of intensive campaigning and communications. We designed it so the campaign could be used by officeholders/candidates who might not directly impact economic issues...ie: judges, etc., as well as the Party.

Remuneration? I'm reasonably sure the DNC paid Hart tons of $ and the work was well worth it.
The HCDP Messaging Committee, Merriman, Penscak? All pro-bono.

On previous blogs I have been critical of the DNC for their lame or
nearly non-existent messaging.Not
following Harris County from Delaware, I don’t have a clue but……I do wonder.

Most importantly, congratulations to all the members of the messaging
committee who worked their tails off hoping their labors would be adopted and
exploited to the maximum and the 300 loyalists of the Harris County Democratic
Party who gave their time and ideas so generously.I hope for the best for all of you.

Monday, November 17, 2014

First published in DelawareLiberal on 11/17/2014 by ProgressivePopulist

Hey DNC and State Party Chairs: Look at our reality. We've got the
Presidency for two more years; the Repugnant party has both houses and
the Supreme Court. What's more, they've got 68 out of 98 partisan state
legislatures and 31 governorships. We, the party "of the people" came
up just a bit short but your reaction seems just a bit muted given these
dire circumstances.

And this is not a short term hiccup. Look at
the gerrymandering they've already accomplished at the state and
federal office levels. And their think tanks, cranking out really
people-destructive policies for the care and feeding of Repugnant
legislators. And their well oiled money machines, fueled by Citizens
United and the Supremes. Theirs is a highly strategic plan to put all
the power in the hands of the super wealthy, including corporate
America.

Yea, I'm sounding a bit pessimistic but where is the call
for dramatic change with how we run this party and setting a whole new
course for a Democratic Party future? There is but a whimper from our
Dem leadership and apparently total boredom at the grassroots. They
seem to be talking about tweaks and minor adjustments, not radical
reform and change. Is this what you call irrelevance? Sure looks like
we are to the body politic.

Bipartisanship is merely a defensive
tactic to forestall total annihilation, grab some crumbs and grovel for
mercy. What we need to be is an opposition party with big ideas and a
big message machine. Loud and proud.

The one vehicle the
Repugnant party uses very effectively and we have yet to embrace and
master is marketing. No, marketing is not advertising. Marketing is
management of the exchange process. The currency we have to exchange
with the body politic, or at least the roughly half who are wired
liberal are big, bold ideas to benefit us all and the mechanism to sell
those ideas....to get them exchanged to the populace. The ideas can be
very specific and detailed, lists of components if you will. But
framed in a way that hits emotional hot buttons and triggers the
exchange.

What we need is a staff and consultant house cleaning to
shake up the foundation. And a new DNC membership which sees change
and big ideas as their mission and sees themselves as the Party sales
force. Right now the DNC is comprised of those seeking and granted
awards for being loyal troopers. The DNC should be comprised of
firebrand doers and organizers. Aggressive, loud and yes, sometimes
intemperate. The leadership should be of that mold as well. Screw
calm. We're already too calm.

Candidates and office holders,
such as we've got them now, of the same mold I've described. Doers, not
patronage seekers. This party has run on patronage. Yes, it must be
representative of the base, but its got way to many leaders, even at the
grassroots, who are furniture because they look good. Looking good and
looking representative isn't enough. It's going to take activists and
doers in every representative category. Scrap the furniture and
replace it with functioning change agents who are in the main out there
in movement politics, not party politics. A party that can and will
lead a populist uprising.

We do not need two parties serving the
interests of the rich. One, the Repugnants, are doing quite well at
that thank you. We need a party that understands the systemic problems
denying the American Dream. An economy not built to reward hard work
and innovation, a taxation system which spreads the wealth while not
harming the successful, a political system owned by a participating,
grassroots electorate, not private interest lobbies and a reinvigorated
sense of community that makes helping those needing help an imperative
and duty.

The ideas to accomplish this already exist. They don't
need invention. They need mining, embracing and selling to the
desperate people who have been deluded by the Repugnants into believing
they serve those desperate people. One place I'd look for those ideas
is California. Look at the turnaround out there. Look at a Democratic
Party there that helped get it done and leadership it cultivated to
implement the turnaround.

We need a populist uprising. No, not
one that bashes corporations. One that recognizes that properly
regulated, they can and will do good stuff. But one that demands that
they, the people run political system, not the commercial sector.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

First Published in DelawareLiberal on November 12, 2014 by ProgressivePopulist

For years Republicans have held China's resistance to a carbon
reduction treaty as a reason to oppose President Obama's efforts to
address the climate crisis here. So, he cuts an amazing deal with China
and what are Republicans doing? Opposing it. This is nothing short
of treason.

Once again, Obama has pulled a rabbit out of the hat
and created another very positive BFD that will benefit all Americans
whether they deny or accept the settled science of climate change and
the link to carbon.

These cretins have no shame nor conscience.
Their opposition to the deal the President is bringing home harms
Americans because they want to harm Obama. They want him and we
Democrats to be able to claim no successes that benefit our society and
in this case, the entire world. They only care about winning
politically, even if it means we, our children and future generations
are harmed. Literally, physically harmed.

From the dictionary- a definition of treason:

the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.

"they were convicted of treason"

Harry
Reid, gear up the Senate and get this done before our majority is no
more. Then, DNC, gear up to indict the Republican leadership for
treason. Is anybody home there at HQ to hear this and act?

About Me

Moved to Wilmington, Delaware in mid-2013. Resided in Houston, Texas for 45 years. A widower, married Julie Jackson in 2007. Retired as a hospital marketing consultant in 2001.Have been a Democratic Party political activist for most of my adult life, organizing and mobilizing for the Party and its candidates. Consider myself a progressive populist. Early career included running communications for 35 campaigns. Have formed and led committees dealing with voter mobilization and precinct organizing, counter voter suppression and strategy.Co-founded the Progressive Populist Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party. Have served on the Texas Democratic Party Platform Committee numerous times. Also an active organizer for the anti-war movement since Vietnam and was active in the civil rights movement.